News: 5 quick steps to solve common IT problems in a second!

Most of us get to use a computer on a daily basis and at some point or another we all come across a moment in the day where our PC's decide not to collaborate any more! Here are some quick foolproof methods you could easily learn in order to troubleshoot your pc and fix your problems quickly.

Step 1) Turn it off and on again

This is usual a common fix for most problems, and most support technicians will tell you to do this as a first attempt. Most of the time the issue is solved after this.

Step 2) Check your updates window

Run through the updates section of your pc to make sure everything is up to date, as even the smallest of updates may result in fixing a serious bug in your computer, or help achieve smoother performance.

In case of a slow computer:

All PC's slows down every now and then, and even though most users usually blame the hardware, it is not always the case. A slow PC could be the result of software too, and it will only take up a few minutes of your time in order to fix this.

Step 3) Check your System Configuration

Having a lot of programs and applications set to automatically run when your computer starts up may be the result of slow performance. This may cause the computer processor to overload, causing it to slow down … a lot!

In order to fix this, open up the System Configuration by typing in msconfig in your ‘run’ command window or in the ‘search window’ situated in the start menu at the bottom left of your screen.

Tick the programs which are really necessary to run at Startup. Any secondary programs which can easily be opened manually after would be better left un-ticked. By doing this you will be lightening the load on your computer.

Step 4) Check your internet connection.

If your PC tends to slow down when you’re browsing the internet, the result of this performance loss is probably network related. Using a speed test program or speed test website as shown below is probably your best option. Some programs may be downloading data in the background, putting a load on your network and causing it to slow down.

When performing a speed test you will be given the ping, download speed, and upload speed.

Download and Upload speed should be the amount advertised by your Internet Service provider, or at least 50% of that speed, and the average time for your ping should be under 100 milliseconds.

Anything lower than the above, would result in a slower performance and it would be best to contact your Internet Service provider.

Updates to the network card aren’t all that common, but if one is released, be sure to download and install it because as mentioned before, even the smallest of updates could fix the simplest of problems.

Computer is overloaded with never-closing popups or restarts

Most viruses can cause various problems to your computer, from the opening pop-up ads on your desktop to restarting your computer automatically making you think your PC could be possessed!

If this is currently happening to you, you have most probably fallen victim to adware. Getting rid of these viruses isn’t as easy as you may think, as these viruses where made to stick.

Step 5) Get yourself an Anti-virus

The first step in getting rid of, or protecting yourself from adware, is to run your anti-virus software as well as having them run in the background giving you real time protection. Running a full-scan will search for any virus software, including adware and aid you in removing them. Make sure that the software you use to scan for these viruses is credible, as most small utility-tools which promise the removal of such viruses can be worse, resulting in fuelling the fire.

Below is a comparison of anti-virus software for your disposal, showing you which software is best rated for malware detection.